Woodworking clamp



y 7, 1929. s. GAUL WOODWORKING 0115M? Filed June 1, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet y 7, 1929- s. GAUL WOQDWORKING CLAMP Filed June 1, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet Patented May 7, 1929-.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SEBASTIAN GAUL, or ,WYCKOFF, NEW JERSEY.

WOODWORKING CLAMP.

Application filed June 1, 1928. Serial No. 282,099.

@ne of the important objects of the inven-.

tion is the production of a clamp of the abovementioned character embodying a pair of frame members having their flanges interrupted to define spaces for the reception of certain adjustable elements.

Another object is to provide means in the form of a pair of adjustable elements, carried byfthe flanges of said frame members,

, and adapted to be positioned at various locations therealong for the purpose of accommodating the different Widths of panels. to be clamped. 1 2

Still another object of the invention is the provision of certain locking means, asse eiated with one of the adjustable elements, and adapted to cooperate with certain notches arranged in one of the flanges of said frame members for positively maintaining said element in a definite fixed position.

A still further object is the provision of adjustable elements, each being suitably'recessedto cooperate with one of the flanges of the frame members in slidable engagement, and to co-act with the Web portions of the said members to permit the assembling and convenient removalof the latter. I

Another object of the invention is to provide frame members similar in construction, and adapted to cooperate with certain adjustable elements to permit the superimposin g of said members in stack formation.

With these objects in view, together with others, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the novel formation, combination and arrangement of parts, all as will be described more fully hereinafter, illustrated in the drawings, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In said drawings: i

Fig. 1 is an elevation of my novel and iinproved clamp. Fig. 21s a top plan view thereof.

on the line 1--d of Fig. 1.

5 is a similar sectional view, taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1 and illustrating the front end of the clamp in elevation.

3 is an enlarged end elevation of the Fig. 6 is a transverse section, slightly enlarged, and taken on the irregular line 66 of Fig. 1', to depict the notches and spaces in the frame members.

Fig. 7 a detail view of the block positioned at one end of the frame members, and detached from the same to illustrate the recesses'therein; and

Fig. 8 is an elevation of a plurality of clamps arranged in stack formation, the series of boards clamped thereby being shown in dot and dash lines. 1

Before presenting the invention in detail a brief synopsis of thesame will'be set forth in order that the features and salient .advantages thereof maybe clearly understood. Accordingly, each clamp in its simplest form,

and asshownin Fig. 1, will embody a pair of frame members 10 and 11, exaetlysimilar in construction, and maintained in spaced 'rela tion by adjustable elements 12 and 13, termed the reciprocatory follower and head'respectively, and a fixed block la, each of these partsbeing somewhat similar in construction and adapted to cooperate with the frame members in the fulfillment of the objects aforesaid.

At this time it is pointed out that while Fig. 1 indicates the provision of a pair of frame members for each clamp, itwill become apparent hereinafter that novel means is; provided whereby each vframe member will ad acent the top carry adjustable elements, and bottom portions thereof to permit the superimposing of said frame members in spaced relation. I

Referring now'in detail'to the construction of said frame'members i't'will be observed on.

inspection of Fig. 3, that each is provided with top and bottom flanges 15 and: 16 connected by a web 1'7, said top flange 15 extending continuously along the length of said frame member and being provided witha plurality of notches 18 arranged in spaced relation in one leg of the flange 15, as indicated in Fig. 6. "Theflbottom flange 16, however, is

interrupted at intervals tov 'define spaces or gaps 19, positioned; oppositely from the base portion of'said web,1 (,'(see Fig. 6) while the interruption at one end of the frame member is increased to presienta relatively long space 20 for an appreciablereciprocationbf said" follower '12, aswi'll presently appear.

The adjustable elements 12 and 13, and the block 14 are formed to cooperatewith the i flanges of the frame members and the gaps iii and spaces provided therein, and when assembled in the position indicated in Fig. 1

directly clamped together by said head 13' and follower 12. In order to accommodate differentwidths of the boards, these elements are variable and may be made in differentsizes to meet all demands. This feature is mentioned to show the susceptibility of the clamp to accommodate itself to the particular work to be performed.

The detailed showing in Fig. 7 of the block 1 1 may be cited as a typical example of the arrangement of recesses therein, and it will be noted a vertical recess 21 extends downwardly from the top edge of the block and that the bottom portion is provided with a substantially T-shaped groove 22 having a restricted neck 23 alined with said recess 21. Each of the follower and head members are provided with similar recesses and grooves and are provided with like numerals. Said block 14 is adapted to be fixedly secured to said frame members 10 and 11 by means of suitable fastening means 25% and 25, (see Fig. 1), after said recess 21 is fitted with the web 17 of member 10 at one end of the space 20, at which point, it will be recalled, the flange 16 was interrupted or removed. Said T-shapcd groove 22 conforms to the flanges 15 of the frame members and in this particular in stance will be inserted thereover, the neck 23 lying contiguous to the web portion just below the flange 15 of the member 11. By preference the upper portion of said block is shouldered, as indicated at 26, (Figs. 1 and which abuts the bottom face of the flange portion adjacent the end of said member 10. The above manner of attaching or assembling the block is similar with respect to each of the follower and head members, 12 and 13, respectively, with the exception that the upper por-.

tions 12% and 13 of each, formed by producing shoulders 12 and 13", are equal in width to said. gaps 19 and hence are snugly fitted therein. In assembling the parts just described, they will each be inserted along the top flange 15 of the frame member 11, whereupon the frame member may be literally dropped into the recesses 21 at the gaps 19.

As indicated by the dot and dash lines in F 8, the series of boards forming a panel will have their top and bottom surfaces snugly contacted by the faces of the flanges 16 and of members 10 and 11 respectively, while the longitudinal edges ofsaid panel will abut the head 13 at one sideand'the follower '12 at the other during the clamping operation. In order to accommodate the clamp to varying widths of panels the head 13 may be en gaged with its upper portion 13 in a selected gap 19 by releasing the spring-pressed dog 27, (see Fig. 2) and sliding the head to the desired position whereupon the noseof said dog engages in a notch 18. It will be observed that the accurate arrangement of the gaps 19 and notches 18 with respect to each other permit the positive positioning of the head 13. After the head has been properly located said follower 12 retracted along the space 20 by operating the non-travelling screw 28 by means of crank 29, said screw being threadedly engaged in the block 11;. as clearly shown in Fig. 1, and manifestly the rotation of the crank in the opposite direction to the retracting of the follower 12 causes the latter to abut the contiguous edge of the panel and firmly clamp the same in the device. In view of the tight binding action of the head 13 and the accurate spaced parallelism of the frame members, all tendency of the series of boards to bulge and distort out of horizontal plane, is reduced to a minimum. When a single clamp is used frame members 10 and 11 are used as shown in Fig. 1 and the boards are placed between the head 13 and follower 12, said head 13 being positioned in a selected gap 19 and notch 18, as aforesaid, while the follower 12 may assume any position along said space 20, depending of course upon the particular width of the panel.

As shown in Figs. 1 and El, said follower 12 is provided with a bore 30 to receive one end of said screw 28 which is annularly grooved, as indicated at 31, for the reception of a headless screw threadedly passing through aperture in said follower. Said screw 32 enters from the top surface of the shoulder 12" and may be removed by elevating the frame member adjacent thereto for the release of the non-travelling screw 28 desired. lVhile not absolutely essential I prefer to loosely mount the crank 29 on the end of the screw 28 and to provide its hub portion with teeth 3% adapted to engage a similarly formed member ti" dly carried by said screw 28. The enga nent with member is effected by sliding he crank on said screw to operate the latter and when the clamping operation ti n ished the crank may be retracted to remainin a pendent position during the drying of the panel. This feature is of importance in instances where the clamps are arranged. in stack formation as shown in Fig. 8, since the cranks may remain in apendent position and thus take up a small amount of space. The spring-pressed dog 27 is preferably pivoted, in a grooved boss 36 extending laterally of said head 13, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6.

The idea of constructing the frame members in a similar manner permits the assembling of the same to present literally a plurality of clamps, and as clearly shown in Fig. 8, each of the heads 13, the followers 12 and blocks 14:, being arranged in pairs, Vertically disposed, and cooperating with the flanges of afraine member so that the T-grooves 22 may engage flange 15 and the recesses 21 en llll . frame member of the clamp thereabove. This construction will be readily understood on:

inspection of Fig. 8. V

In Fig. 8 of the drawings, the heads 18 and followers 12 are shown in similar positions and the series of boards therebetween appear tobe substantially the same width. This may a be considered an ideal position, but it will be understood that in actualpractiee the heads l3 will be presumably in a staggered relation in selected gaps l9, and the followers 12 will be arranged in positions along the space 20 in accordance with the particular width of a panel clamped thereby.

While the present is a disclosure of the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the same is not limited thereto, as various changes in the minor details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from thespirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims. 7

Having thus described my invention, '1 claim as new and desire to secure by U. S. Let-' ters Patent:

1. A clamp of the character described, comprising frame members each presenting top and bottom flanges, a block adapted to be fixedly secured at one end of said members and to maintain the same in spaced relation, a head carried by the other ends of said members and adapted to be adj ustably positioned thereto, and a follower member positioned intermediate said block and said head and adapted to be reciprocated to clamp material positioned between the same and the'head.

2. A clamp of the character. described, comprising a pair of frame members each presenting top and bottom flanges, each of" the latter flanges being interrupted to define spaces, a recessed head-adapted to fit over the top flange of one of the frame members and I to fit into a selected space in the bottom flange of the companion frame member, a follower member similarly associated wlth said frame members and means for reciprocating said follower member. 7

3. A clamp of the character described, com prising a pair of frame members each presenting top and bottom flanges, the bottom flanges of each of'said members being interrupted to present gaps therealong and to define a relatively long space adjacent one end of said members, a head having recesses and adapted to be fitted over the top flange of one of the members and to be engaged in a selected gap in the other frame member, an apertured block fixedly carried by saidmembers, and a reciprocatory follower presenting recesses for coupling with the flanges of said frame members and adapted to cooperate with said head for clamping material thercbetween.

4. A clamp of the character described, comprising apair of frame members each presenting top and bottom flanges, the bottom flanges of each member being interrupted to define gaps and a relatively long space ad jac'ent one end of the members, the top flanges of said members presenting notches, a follower member having a T-shaped groove for insertion over the top flange of one of the members and having a'reces's for the insertion of the web of the other member {LClJiLCOHt the long space therein, a head presenting recesses for engagement with the top fiange of one of the frame members and for engagement with the spaces in the bottom flange of the other member, spring-pressed means associated with said head and adapted to be inserted in a selected notch and means for re ciprocating said follower for clamping mate rial between the same and said head,

5. A clamp of the character described, com prising frame members each presenting top and bottom flanges, a block adapted to be fixedly secured at one end of said members to maintain the same in spaced relation, a head arranged at the other end of the members, meansfor locking saidhead in a selected position, a followerpositioned intermediate said block and head, and means for reciprocating follower to permitthe clampin g of material between the same and said head.

In testimony whereofI afiix my signature.

SEBASTIAN GAUL. 

